The Horse and His Boy

Home , Aravis, Bree (Narnia), Hwin, Narnia (country), Narnia (world), Rabadash

The Horse and His Boy, by C. S. Lewis. Reference ISBN: 9780007588541

Shasta, a Northerner enslaved to a Calormene fisherman, dreams of escape to the free North of Archenland. With the help of a talking horse named Bree, Shasta flees, meeting another pair of fugitives along the way: Plot Aravis and her talking horse Hwin. As they journey northwards, the four uncover a plot by Rabadash, the prince of Calormene, to conquer Archenland and threaten the peace of the northern lands. They race to warn the Archenlanders and rally the Narnians to their aid.

This story is set during the Golden reign of the Pevensie children: Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. Calormene- A land South of Narnia, it is home to cruel, pagan slave lords: the Tarquins. Setting Narnia- Home of the four kings and queens of legend and kingdom of the lion Aslan, the Son of the King Beyond the Sea. Archenland- Borderland between Calormene and Narnia, populated by free people whose loyalty is to Narnia and Aslan.

Shasta- The protagonist of the piece is a young boy, uneducated and neglected. Though he is immature, he has an inbred longing for freedom and justice and an indomitable hope to escape to the free North. Bree recognizes at once that he must be “of true Northern stock.”

Bree- Pompous and self-important, the Narnian horse brags about his knowledge of the North and plays the courageous war-horse though he is really a coward at heart. Despite his boorish tone, he is a loyal friend.

Aravis- A snooty Calormene princess or “Tarkheena,” escaping an arranged marriage with the Tarquin’s Grand Vizier.

Characters Hwin- A talking horse, enslaved like Bree, who served Aravis and her family for many years. She is humble, soft-spoken and loyal. She stands in awe of Bree. In contrast, she doesn’t think much of herself at all.

Aslan- True king of Narnia and the Christ figure of the piece, Aslan plays a critical role in Shasta’s journey home. From protecting Shasta the infant and ensuring his situation in Arsheesh’s care to guiding the boy safely home to his true family in Archenland, Aslan is the providential figure who looms large in the background of the piece.

Rabadash- The upstart, bloodthirsty, power-hungry prince of the Calormene people. His scheming threatens a tenuous peace between

The kings and queens of Narnia- The Pevensie siblings, heroes of another Chronicle in Narnia’s history, are merely background characters for this episode. At the height of their power, they rule Narnia justly, hoping to keep her whole and happy.

Man vs. Man/ Man vs. Nature- The fugitives want to beat Rabadash to Archenland to warn the northerners of the attack in time.

Conflict Man vs. Fate/ Man vs. God- Shasta wants to find freedom, identity, and a place to truly belong.

Man vs. Self- All four of the fugitives are immature. They lack humility.

Friendship, Coming of Age, Pride and Humility, Providence, the Nature Theme of God.

Foreshadowing- when Arsheesh tells the story of finding Shasta in the rowboat, he mentions “the admirable designs of the gods.” Unwittingly, Literary Devices he predicts the providential power which follows Shasta through the story and offers him aid at every turn.